Microbiological species are widely distributed in our environment. Most microbiological species are of little concern, because they do not damage other living organisms. However, other microbiological species may infect man or animals and cause them harm.
The removing or rendering ineffective of injurious microbiological organisms has long been of interest. Drugs and medical devices are sterilized and packaged in sterile containers. Medical environments such as operating rooms, wards, and examination rooms are decontaminated by various cleaning procedures so that injurious microbiological organisms cannot spread from one patient to another. Wounds are sterilized to prevent infection.
Most prior situations requiring decontamination of injurious microbiological organisms have been relatively well controlled, where all parties wished to achieve the decontamination and cooperated in the decontamination effort. More recently, biological warfare and bioterrorism have become of increasing concern. In these circumstances, injurious microbiological organisms may be intentionally released into a population, with the intent to disseminate the microbiological organisms as widely as possible and to cause as much harm as possible in the population. The microbiological organisms are typically selected so that tiny amounts of the microbiological organisms achieve the maximum contamination, the microbiological organisms may be disseminated widely, the microbiological organisms can exist for extended periods of time in a dormant state before becoming active to cause injury, and the microbiological organisms are difficult to control and eradicate.
The available technologies for controlling microbiological organisms, developed for relatively small-scale use in well-controlled environments and where there is not an overt attempt to spread the microbiological organisms, are of limited value in these public health circumstances of biological warfare and bioterrorism. A new approach is needed that is more readily usable in a variety of less-well-controlled environments. The present invention fulfills this need, and further provides related advantages.